Phoebe's POV
"Move with them! Head straight north!" Justin barked urgently. "Get to Alpha Wallace directly! It's too risky to take any detours!"
Wade bobbed his head rapidly in understanding.
"Best of luck, young fighter!" Justin clapped Wade's shoulder before he and Orion rushed back toward the front entrance, where dozens of shifters had encircled our hideout.
Terror flooded through me as I seized Justin's hand, shaking my head desperately. I couldn't let him go—not like this. I yanked both him and Orion toward the hidden passage, trying to pull them along with us.
But Justin resisted, shaking his head firmly. "That won't work, my queen. We have to hold them here. We'll buy you precious time—make them believe you're still trapped somewhere inside. If they discover the house is empty, they'll comb the forest immediately. We won't make it to Alpha Wallace's territory."
